This post was contributed by guest author: Diana Smith

Diana Smith is a full-time mom of two beautiful girls interested in topics related to health and alternative medicine. In her free time, she enjoys exercising and preparing healthy meals for her family.

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You can never be so old that the death of a parent doesn’t hurt you. Regardless of your age or theirs, you will always be their child and seeing them depart from this world will scar you for the rest of your days. However, your life goes on. No matter how harsh this may sound, it is what is expected of you, what you must do and what your parents would want you to do. It isn’t rare that after the loss of a parent, a person falls into depression. With this in mind, it is important to realize one thing – grieving is acceptable, depression shouldn’t be.

The difference between the two is huge. Namely, while grieving is temporary (although in some traces it remains for a long time), depression is not. It can last for a long time after the death of a loved one and change one’s life for the worse. For this reason, it is vital that you learn how to recognize depression and know how to fight it. Here are few pointers you may find useful.

Eating and Sleeping

A loss of appetite is one of the best indicators of depression. Sure, people in grief may not be able to eat as well, but if this lasts for more than a few weeks, there may be a different problem at play. Unfortunately, there are other issues here as well, such as the inability to sleep. Insomnia can become a serious challenge even for the people who are not suffering from depression. Your body needs the rest in order to recuperate from all the hardships of the day. Being deprived of this can result in some serious repercussions for your mental health.

Extreme Guilt

Another symptom of both grief and depression is the feeling of extreme guilt over the things you said or did not get to say. If you were close to someone, it is unavoidable that on occasions you had some arguments. When things got heated up, you might have said some things you didn’t mean, but now they will come back to haunt you all the same. On the other hand, if there is something you always wanted to say to a person but merely got no opportunity to do so, you may feel remorse over this lost opportunity. The only way to get rid of this feeling is to find a way to deal with guilt. It may be too late to make amends, but you can at least accept the results.

Real Signs of Depression

So far, everything we discussed was quite ambiguous, and the length alone determined whether it was grief or full-fledged depression. If these symptoms are present months after the loss, it is most likely depression. Otherwise, it could be either of them. Still, some symptoms are much more straightforward. A perfect example of this is the lack of concentration and inability to focus, extreme weight gain/loss and, of course, suicidal thoughts. Anyone who notices or experiences any of these symptoms should ask for a professional aid as soon as possible, since it is probably depression they are dealing with.

Saying Goodbye

To be able to move on with your life, it is vital that you can say your final goodbye to the person that meant so much to you. After all, this is what funerals are for in the first place. They are not for the dead, but for the living so that they can have at least some sense of closure. Another example is a matter of will. Experts behind Family will claim that getting entangled in a lengthy legal process may only prolong everyone’s suffering. This is why it is important that legal matters are resolved as quickly as possible.

They say that to avoid the trap, you must first be aware of its presence. This is why it is good to know the symptoms and causes of depression. As for the cure for grief, well, there isn’t one. Losing someone dear is always hard, and you will have a void in your heart for the rest of the days. It will, however, become easier, in time. The only thing you can do is honor your dead in a way they would want you to. You owe it to them to carry on and live your life to the fullest.

Diana Smith is a full-time mom of two beautiful girls interested in topics related to health and alternative medicine. In her free time, she enjoys exercising and preparing healthy meals for her family.